New owner of ND oilseed plant seeks local opinions

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The new owner of a defunct oilseed processing plant in eastern North Dakota is asking farmers what he should do with the facility.

Brett Morrison, owner of Nebraska Bean, bought the Northwood plant at a November auction for $1.1 million. The $10 million plant that once employed about two dozen people opened in 2007 and closed two years later.

Morrison says he plans to operate the plant only as a dry bean receiving station, but is open to restarting a crushing operation if there's enough interest.

Morrison tells Agweek (http://bit.ly/XEngm8) he hopes the receiving station will open this fall.

North Dakota is the nation's leading producer of edible beans.

Northwood, a town of 945 people, is about 35 miles southwest of Grand Forks. Nebraska Bean is based in Clearwater, Neb.

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